Description of government structure:

Assembly: Malaysia has a bicameral Parliament (Parlimen) consisting of the Senate (Dewan Negara) with 69 seats and the House of Representatives (Dewan Rakyat) with 193 seats.

* The Paramount Ruler is elected by and from nine of the sultans ruling the penisular Malaysian islands.

Description of electoral system:

The Paramount Ruler is indirectly elected by hereditary state rulers to serve a 5-year term.

The Prime Minister is designated by the monarch.

In the Senate (Dewan Negara), 43 members are appointed by the state legislatures to serve 3-year terms and 26 members are appointed by the state legislatures to serve 3-year terms. In the House of Representatives (Dewan Rakyat) 193 members are elected by plurality vote in single-member constituencies to serve 5-year terms.

Main parties in the electoral race:

Bloc: Barisan Nasional (BN)

Leader: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr. MAHATHIR bin Mohamad

Seats won in this House of Representatives election: 148

Seats won in last House of Representatives election: 162

Party: National Justice Party

Leader: Datin Seri Dr. Wan Azizah binti Wan Ismail

Seats won in this House of Representatives election: 5

Seats won in last House of Representatives election: N/A

Party: Democratic Action Party

Leader: LIM Kit Siang

Seats won in this House of Representatives election: 10

Seats won in last House of Representatives election: 9

Party: Pan Malaysian Islamic Party

Leader: Ustaz Seri Dato Fadzil Mohamed NOOR

Seats won in this House of Representatives election: 27

Seats won in last House of Representatives election: 7

Party: Bersatu Sabah (PBS)

Seats won in this House of Representatives election: 3

Seats won in last House of Representatives election: 8

Population:

Population: 22,898,579 (1999)

Registered Voters: 9,694,196 (1999)

Gender Data:

· Female Population: 11,248,818 (1999)

· Is Malaysia a signatory to CEDAW: No

· Has Malaysia ratified CEDAW: Yes, accession (5 July 1995)

· Gender Quota: No

· Female candidates in this election: Yes

· Number of Female Parliamentarians: 14 (House of Representatives) (following the 1999 elections)

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